Salomon

Salomon Speedcross are quite a well recognised shoe in trail running and fell running circles, here I look at the Speedcross 4 Nocturne GTX version.

Salomon Speedcross 4 Nocturne GTX

Speedcross 4 Nocturne – Features

As with other Speedcross models the Speedcross 4 Nocturne is a neat looking shoe. It appears robust with a firm, water resistant upper, protective rand and sturdy toe bumper all of which give protection to the foot when running on loose, rocky terrain. The upper is double stitched rather than laminated / glued. I normally take a size 6.5 shoe and these 6.5s felt fine with a reassuringly snug fit.

plenty of toe protection

The shoe also offers a decent amount of cushioning with a midsole height of 30mm to 20mm giving a 10mm drop. The sturdiness of the shoe means that it isn’t the lightest on the market – my pair of size 6.5 tipped the scales at a fraction over 600g.

a robust 600 grams (size 6.5)

Salomon use their Quicklace™ system; the shoe is tightened by pulling the laces taught and sliding a fastener down then tucking the excess lace away into a neat little flap on the tongue. This system works well, I haven’t found the need to re-tighten the laces mid run and it makes the shoes easy to undo even with cold fingers.

the Quicklace™ system works well especially with cold fingers

The outsole uses Salomon’s Contagrip® rubber and distinctive, aggressive chevron lugs which give good traction in wet and muddy conditions.

Contagrip® chevrons are good for mud

The Nocturne version of the shoe are so called because they are made with reflective material on the uppers. This shows up very well in car headlights and is a useful safety feature especially if your night runs have sections of unlit country road. They are also very reflective in the light of a head torch which may or may not be good for someone running behind you at night.

ghostly figure with reflective shoes!

The main difference between these and the standard version of the Speedcross 4 is that these have a Goretex® membrane. This gives even greater protection to the feet, preventing water from soaking through the uppers. I tested the shoes over winter in both wet and snowy conditions and although not completely dry at the end of the runs my feet were a lot drier than if I’d been wearing standard shoes. I think the slight dampness I experienced was from sweat rather than from water getting into the shoe through the fabric.

Goretex® gives good protection in snow

Some people dislike Goretex shoes because once water gets in it can’t drain away freely and also sometimes your feet can get too hot. However I think they can be useful if you use them in the right conditions. If you know that you aren’t going to be immersing your foot completely and so can prevent water getting into the shoe that way then I think they have a use. I found them to be useful in snow, especially with a gaiter to prevent snow getting in and they would be a good choice of footwear if running on grass on spring or autumn mornings where there is a heavy dew. I deliver a coaching session every week on a grass playing field where the grass is frequently wet and I’d often end up with cold, wet feet (wellies aren’t an option when you’re trying to demonstrate drills!) These are now my shoe of choice for these sessions.

Speedcross 4 Nocturne – Verdict

The shoes perform best in wet, muddy and snowy conditions. The grip is very good on mud and wet grass, however not as effective on wet rock – but what is!? Personally the 10mm drop is a little too much for my liking, I prefer something with less drop that feels closer to the ground, certainly for racing or fast training runs – however that is personal preference. The fit feels snug and the construction feels robust with plenty of cushioning and protection. The Goretex version lends itself to wet or snowy conditions (as long as it’s not so deep that it goes over the top!) whilst the Nocturne uppers allow you to be seen more readily at night.

One question that I'm often asked is "What are the best shoes for Fell Running?" The answer is simple; "It depends..."

what are the best shoes for fell running?

Ok, simple but not very helpful! That's because there are a number of things to consider before making a purchase so you need to ask yourself a few questions.

What is the terrain like?The term "Fell Running" covers a wide variety of terrain including rough mountains, steep grassy slopes and hard packed trails. Different shoes will be suited to different types of terrain.

What will I use them for?Are they for for training or racing? Your day to day trainer can afford to be a little bit heavier than your racing shoe where you might be concerned about saving weight. Likewise with grip; a steady run requires less grip than when you're going eyeballs out with your nearest rival breathing down your neck!

What's the weather like?We know what the British climate is like and a firm, dry path can change into a quagmire after a week of heavy rain. Shoes that were perfectly adequate one week can have you slip sliding away the next.

different grips for different trips

Quite often a run or race will include several changes of terrain. The Moelwyns fell race in Snowdonia starts and finishes with a long section of hard quarry track where road running shoes would be fine, however the seven miles in between involves steep, wet, grassy descents where a shoe with an aggressive grip is vital. The 3 Peaks Race swaps between fell and road and runners have been known to change shoes for different sections.

Unfortunately there is no one shoe that is best suited to all types of terrain so you need to compromise. A heavily studded shoe is not ideal for a hard, dry track but it will cope but a road or trail shoe with little tread won't cope with wet or muddy conditions. If in doubt go with the worst scenario. (or mix your trail and fell shoes, one on each foot!)

mixed terrain? you could always try this!

So it seems that you probably need more than one pair of shoes, in fact you could convince yourself that you require several. Personally I classify the type of running I do into 3 categories with a type of shoe for each one:

Winter training and racing.This requires a shoe with the most aggressive grip. Weight is less of a concern.

Summer racing.This still requires quite an aggressive tread but I look for something lighter in weight.

Summer training.This requires less grip and weight is not as important. It makes up the majority of my running so needs to be comfortable,

There are several shoe manufacturers to choose from. The once ubiquitous Walsh is nowhere near as popular as it was although some runners still swear by it. Inov-8 seem to have taken over as the leading brand and have a huge range of shoes to choose from. Salomon have also appeared on the market and have a range of models to suit different conditions.

Personally I use Inov-8 shoes for the majority of my training and racing. The Mudclaw is my weapon of choice for winter running and racing, it's super aggressive sole is what I have found copes best with the Peak District bogs.

Mudclaws for winter running

For most other races out of the winter season I opt for Inov-8 X Talons. The 212 are a good lightweight shoe with an aggressive grip that work well in a range of conditions. I find these too lightweight for day to day training so they are saved as my race shoes.

X Talons for summer racing

For the majority of my running I need a comfortable shoe that can cope with a mix of terrain and I am currently on my third pair of Roclites. These are my favourite workhorses and have served me well for a number of years. I used them for the Paddy Buckley Round as I needed a shoe that would cope with the mountainous terrain yet provide a reasonable amount of cushioning and comfort. I liked them so much that I literally wore them until they fell off my feet!

Roclites, my faithful workhorses - they didn't look like that for long!

If I could only have one pair of shoes it would be the Roclites, for me they are the best all rounder.

Much depends on personal preference and I do have other shoes including less aggressive trail shoes and even a pair of road shoes for the odd run from home. However these are my top three:

my top 3: Roclite, X Talon, Mudclaw

So the best shoes for fell running? It depends on a number of things and you're most likely going to need more than one pair. One thing I'm sure of; there's always room in the cupboard for another pair!

Note - I am not sponsored by Inov-8, this post is based on my experiences of shoes that I have purchased myself.

My only experience of wearing Salomon shoes is their XA Pro trail running shoe which aren’t really designed for most of the running I do so I was keen to get my feet into a pair of their dedicated fell shoes and put them to the test.

Salomon Fellraiser fell shoes

The Fellraisers aren’t the lightest fell running shoe on the market, my pair of size 6.5 tipping the scales at 542g but then they aren’t designed as a stripped down, super light race shoe and they look and feel like they are built to last. The uppers have a tough, stitched rand with a breathable mesh which lets water in, but also allows the shoe to drain and dries quickly. A substantial toe cap gives good protection for when running quickly over rocky ground. The 6mm drop from heel to toe makes them a lower profile alternative to Salomon’s more established Speedcross shoe.

substantial toe protection

The outsole sports aggressive, multi-directional lugs that feel like they are made of a harder compound than the Speedcross’ chevrons. Hopefully this means a good amount of mileage before the lugs wear down and grip is compromised. The lugs extend all the way to the toe giving grip even at the “toe off” phase of the running stride.

good lugs!

The Fellraisers use the Quicklace™ system that allows the lace to be quickly pulled tight with the excess then tucked away into a little pocket on the tongue. An OrthoLite® liner gives added cushioning whilst claiming to keep the feet healthier due to its fungus resistant properties!

Quicklace system with tongue pouch

How did they perform?

First impressions were that the Fellraisers were a little narrower than I was used to, not uncomfortably so and in fact giving a reassuring responsive feel but maybe a little too tight for very long races. However I took them straight out of the box and onto a 13 mile, multi terrain run with no ill effects.

The most essential feature of any fell running shoe is how well they grip in a range of conditions. The Fellraisers gave a secure grip on short grass and felt very reassuring in the peaty Peak District mud. In wet conditions I didn’t have any problems running over rough gritstone but on limestone I found them to be pretty slippy to say the least!

The Quicklace system kept the shoes tight without needing any adjustment and whilst it worked well in dry conditions I found it to be a bit tricky to undo when the lace was muddy or gritty when it tended to clog up.

Fellraisers on test

Verdict

The Fellraiser makes a good training or race shoe over soft ground. They perform particularly well in muddy conditions and so would make an excellent choice for winter training and racing. As with most fell shoes care needs to be exercised if running quickly over wet rock! They come up a little tight on me so definitely try before you buy.
The 6mm drop is a good compromise; close enough to the ground to feel stable but offering some elevation for runners who don’t want a “barefoot” structure. Aesthetically the shoes looks good (I particularly like the women’s purple model!)